PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Kara Raftery (Zupke) | Communications & HR Manager
City of Leavenworth
[email protected]
Freyja Bourke | Communications Manager
Sustainable NCW
[email protected]
Local nonprofit takes on day-to-day management of the community’s drop-off recycling center, with a renewed focus on service, education and long-term sustainability
LEAVENWORTH, WA – November 13, 2026 – The City of Leavenworth is pleased to announce a new partnership with Sustainable NCW, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to manage day-to-day operations at the Leavenworth Recycling Center. The agreement took effect October 15, 2026, and runs through December 31, 2027, keeping a valued community service available for residents.
The partnership follows a period of transition. Earlier this year, the City’s previous operator, Waste Loop, was no longer able to manage the center’s two-day-a-week operations. Rather than closing the Recycling Center entirely, the City paused to evaluate how the center handles cardboard, single-stream recycling, yard waste and glass — and asked the community for input.
Residents answered. More than 300 people responded to the City’s spring 2026 Recycling Center survey, and many described the center as an essential service they use every week. Glass is ranked as one of the materials respondents bring most often. That feedback directly shaped the decision to bring in a mission-driven local partner.
“Residents told us loud and clear that the Recycling Center matters to them,” said City Administrator Matthew ‘Selby’. “Sustainable NCW shares our commitment to this community and to doing recycling well. This partnership lets us keep the Recycling Center open.”
Under the new agreement, Sustainable NCW will staff the center with an on-site attendant, oversee training and scheduling, develop standard operating procedures and safety protocols, and serve as the community’s primary point of contact at the site. The City will continue to own and maintain the facility, haul cardboard and manage the single-stream recycling contract with Waste Management.
“Having recycling available for drop-off at the local recycling center makes it accessible to more community members,” said Marlene Farrell, Executive Director of Sustainable NCW. “We’re excited to be involved and on site, answering questions and helping neighbors recycle with confidence. We see the center as a place to connect, learn, and keep good materials out of the landfill”.
Glass Recycling. Glass is one of the materials residents care most about recycling, and Sustainable NCW will continue to operate its glass collection trailer at the Recycling Center. Glass recycling is run by Sustainable NCW as a separate, donation-supported program, so community support is essential in keeping it going.
Each trailer load of glass is hauled to Sibelco in Seattle by a local hauler who contracts with Sustainable NCW (and previously with Waste Loop). At Sibelco, the glass is sorted by color, crushed into cullet (broken glass), and then sent to a glass processing facility to be remade into new glass bottles.
The hauler’s expenses, which include fuel, maintenance of the truck and trailer, and insurance, went up 26% in the last year and a half, and donations need to grow to match the cost per haul.
To keep glass recycling financially viable, Sustainable NCW will be improving signage and launching a social media campaign, so residents and businesses understand the suggested donation scale, namely $5 for every small box of glass (12 wine bottles). Donation procedures include cash or check in the donation box at the Leavenworth Recycling Center as well as online donations. With increased awareness, Sustainable NCW hopes to incentivize the community to give generously to the glass recycling program and to pay extra, if they can, to support those users who cannot afford the donation level.
Sustainable NCW welcomes partnerships with businesses who share a strong interest in bolstering glass recycling in the Upper Valley and could serve as glass recycling sponsors. If interested, please contact Marlene at [email protected].
What to expect at the Recycling Center moving forward. The center remains open on its regular seasonal operating schedule. Visitors will be greeted by Phil, the attendant on site, and his job coach, Chelcee, during open hours to help with sorting questions.
- Winter hours are currently in effect: Wednesdays, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM, and Saturdays, 11 AM – 3 PM
- Upcoming Holiday Saturday Hours, 9–11 AM: Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, and Jan. 2. Shorter hours help reduce congestion on 14th Street during the Village of Lights festival and Christmastown traffic revisions.
- Closed for the Holidays: Saturday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 26.
Operating hours, accepted materials, and updates can be found on the Leavenworth Recycling Center webpage at https://cityofleavenworth.com/your-city-hall/departments/public-works/recycling/ and at Sustainable NCW’s website at https://www.sustainablencw.org/leavenworth-recycling-center.
About Sustainable NCW. Sustainable NCW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and empower our community to work together for a resilient, equitable, and environmentally sustainable future. Their other programs include: the Waste Wizard online tool for recycling, repurposing, repair, donating, or safely disposing of materials (wizzleit.org); an annual Earth Day Fair (on Sunday, April 18 in 2027) and other educational events; Towards Zero Waste assistance to small events; recycling and composting curriculum shared with 4th grade classrooms; business education and how-to videos on organics management; and community information about regional Industrial Symbiosis efforts.
The Leavenworth Recycling Center is operated by Sustainable NCW in partnership with the City of Leavenworth.
For questions or more information, please contact Kara Raftery (Zupke) at [email protected].
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